Method for treatment of opportunistic infections with pharmaceutical compositions of tizoxanide and nitazoxanide

Abstract

Methods for treatment of Cryptosporidium parvum, Isospora belli, Enterocytzoon bieneusi, Encephalitozoon intestinalis, Mycobacterium tuberculosis, Mycobacterium avium intracellulare, Pneumocystis carinii, and Toxoplasma gondii, the methods comprising the administration of a pharmaceutical composition containing as active agent at least one compound selected the group consisting of a compound of formula I: and a compound of formula II:

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method for treating an infection in an immunocompromised mammal by a microorganism selected from the group consisting of Cryptosporidium parvum, Isospora belli, Enterocytzoon bieneusi, Encephalitozoon intestinalis, Mycobacterium tuberculosis, Mycobacterium avium intracellulare, Pneumocystis carinii, and Toxoplasma gondii, the method comprising administration of a pharmaceutical composition containing as active agent at least one compound selected from the group consisting of a compound of formula I: ##STR5## and a compound of formula II: ##STR6## 
     
     
       2. A method as in claim 1, wherein said active agent is in the form of particles with a mean particle size of between 10 and 200 μm. 
     
     
       3. A method as in claim 2, wherein said active agent is in the form of particles with a mean particle size of between 20 and 50 μm. 
     
     
       4. A method as in claim 2, wherein less than 10% of the said solid particles have a particle size larger than 100 μm. 
     
     
       5. A method as in claim 1, wherein said pharmaceutical composition contains at least one pharmaceutically acceptable acid. 
     
     
       6. A method as in claim 5, wherein said pharmaceutically acceptable acid is selected from the group consisting of citric acid, glutamic acid, succinic acid, ethanesulfonic acid, acetic acid, tartric acid, ascorbic acid, methanesulfonic acid, fumaric acid, adipic acid, malic acid and mixtures thereof. 
     
     
       7. A method as in claim 5, wherein the ratio of the weight of pharmaceutically acceptable acid/the weight of said active solid particles is between 0.01 and 0.5. 
     
     
       8. A method as in claim 1, which contains as active agent a mixture of solid particles of compounds of formula I and of formula II, the weight content of compound of formula II with respect to the weight of compounds of formula I and of formula II of said mixture is between 0.5 and 20%. 
     
     
       9. A method as in claim 1, wherein said particles of active agent include a granulating agent selected from the group consisting of polyvinylpyrrolidone, water, alcohol, sucrose hydroxyl cellulose and mixture thereof. 
     
     
       10. A method as in claim 1, wherein said microorganism is Cryptosporidium parvum. 
     
     
       11. A method as in claim 1, wherein said microorganism is Isospora belli. 
     
     
       12. A method as in claim 1, wherein said microorganism is Enterocytzoon bieneusi. 
     
     
       13. A method as in claim 1, wherein said microorganism is Encephalitozoon intestinalis. 
     
     
       14. A method as in claim 1, wherein said microorganism is Mycobacterium tuberculosis. 
     
     
       15. A method as in claim 1, wherein said microorganism is Mycobacterium avium intracellulare. 
     
     
       16. A method as in claim 1, wherein said microorganism is Pneumocystis carinii. 
     
     
       17. A method as in claim 1, wherein said microorganism is Toxoplasma gondii. 
     
     
       18. A method as in claim 1, wherein said active agent is a compound of formula I. 
     
     
       19. A method as in claim 1, wherein said active agent is a compound of formula II. 
     
     
       20. A method as in claim 1, wherein said immunocompromised mammal is human and wherein said active agent is administered in an amount of from 500-2000 mg daily. 
     
     
       21. A method as in claim 20, wherein said active agent is administered in an amount of from 1000-1500 mg daily. 
     
     
       22. A method as in claim 1, wherein said immunocompromised mammal is a human. 
     
     
       23. A method as in claim 22, wherein said immunocompromised human is a human afflicted with AIDS. 
     
     
       24. A method as in claim 1, wherein said immunocompromised mammal is a mammal receiving immunosuppressive drugs.